


The Guide and The Guard

by SteampunkFairytale



Category: Supernatural, Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Mystery, Romance, Slow Burn, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:56:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29840484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteampunkFairytale/pseuds/SteampunkFairytale
Summary: Cross-posted from my Fanfiction.net account under the same penname.All of the secrets of the Supernatural world, mysteries you could only dream of, all kept in a simple little book, only the words "The Guide" as an indicator as to what it contained. Leaving her old life behind her, Bella Swan decides to follow an ever changing map she found in The Guide. Along the way she meets a certain Hunter named Dean Winchester. What will they find at the end of the map?
Relationships: Bella Swan/Dean Winchester
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I'm SteampunkFairytale. I recently picked up writing fanfiction again after a couple years hiatus, and I'm slowly but surely bringing all of the stuff from my fanfiction.net account over here. Just a head's up, I started this story back when I was 17, and I'm now 23, so please be kind if you see any discrepancies in writing style, or glaring faults in the beginning chapters. I fixed it up as best as I could. 
> 
> This story is set after the events of New Moon, but before Eclipse in the Twilight universe, and well before Season 1 of Supernatural. Happy reading!

**The Guide and The Guard**

**Prologue:**

  
  
  
  


It was a simple book, Bella observed blandly as she looked at it. It was still in the hands of the would be giver, who Bella looked up to curiously. 

"Why are you offering me this?” She asked warily.  _ "Who are you?”  _ She wanted to ask again. It was no use though, he hadn't answered any of her previous queries as to his identity. Normally she would be uneasy at being alone with a strange Vampire, especially one that obviously fed on human blood. She oddly wasn't, experiencing more of a sense of anticipation than fear. She should be having flashbacks of the ballet studio in Phoenix, she thought as she rubbed the faded white scar on her wrist. Maybe it was the fact that she had found him in the Cullen house, completely at his ease as though he lived there. Maybe it was the slow and easy pace he carried himself with when he approached her, like he was coming towards a scared animal. Which she actually might be to him, if she was actually scared. Why wasn't she scared? 

"Because you need to have it.” The Vampire said simply, still holding it out to her. "You're going to need it where you're going.” 

“What do you mean, ‘where I'm going’?” She demanded. The Vampire shook his head, and gestured insistently that she take the book. She hesitated, before slowly reaching her hand out and taking the book from his hands. 

As her fingers closed around the supple leather binding, an electric shock traveled up her arm. She shivered all the way down her spine, and tried to shake the feeling that someone was walking over her grave. The book was strangely warm to the touch, even after being in the hands of this strange Vampire. On the cover were the words ‘The Guide’ embossed in golden calligraphy. 

"Open it.” He urged, making a frantic gesture with his hand. Bella sat down on the Cullen's white couch, wondering again where everyone could possibly be. She briefly traced a long and pale finger over the tarnished gold lettering, before opening the book at a random page. 

**Wendigo**

_ The Wendigo is a Ravager class creature in the Supernatural world. A natural carnivore, a Wendigo is formed when a human being is trapped in a confined space for a lengthy amount of time. Eventually forced to resort to consuming human flesh to survive, the human will over time gain the special abilities known to come from the consumption of human flesh. These include: _

_ Enhanced speed and strength _

_ Increased agility _

_ The ability to mimic all human voices _

_ Superior sight, smell, etc. _

_ Heightened intellect _

_ Rapid regeneration _

_ However, the consumption of human flesh comes at a terrible price. Over the years of devouring their own kind, a human will slowly but surely lose all humanity they possess. When the transformation is complete, all that is left is a monster. _

_ Not much can harm a Wendigo, as all injuries heal almost instantaneously. The only way to assuredly kill a Wendigo is with fire, burned until it's nothing more than ash.  _

Bella looked in astonishment at the page, before her eyes shifted higher and she came across an in detail drawing of a horrible looking creature. It was almost like a tall Gollum, about to pull out a golden ring and call it his precious. She turned to another page, and another, and another, and another. Witches, Warlocks, sprites, fairies, wraiths. Every supernatural being you could possibly think of was there.

"So you see, the world is a far bigger and more complicated place than you ever thought.” The Vampire stated calmly. Bella shook her head in wonder. A thought occurred to her then, and she looked up at The Stranger. 

"Why hasn't Edward, or Carlisle, or someone told me about this? Do they...don't they know?” She asked. The Vampire nodded. 

“Yes, they do know Isabella. They may not know to the extent of the knowledge you hold in your hands, but they do know. They simply chose not to tell you.” Bella shook her head, in denial this time. 

“No, no. They couldn't have. This is something that they would have told me. All this must be fake. You made it all up.” She stuttered, automatically curling in on herself as if to keep her from falling apart. 

"It's not fake, and you know it.” The Vampire said sternly. "They're all lying to you Isabella. They're keeping from you truths that you need to know. You know the truth, but you've been refusing to see it.” Bella let out a shuddering gasp, and started to tremble. Her brown doe eyes were wide and bewildered, and her arms were wrapped tightly around her torso, hugging the book to her chest. True realization began to dawn in her eyes.

"Th..they lied to me.” Bella said, her confused look growing as if she couldn't believe what she was saying. Her voice started to grow stronger as the truth settled on her. "They're lying. What else are they lying about?” She demanded. 

"I think you know, child.” The Vampire said, softer and more sympathetic this time. Bella's shoulders sagged. 

"I'm not his mate am I?” 

“No.” Came the cool reply. Bella nodded sadly.

"Does he even really love me?” She asked. She waited a beat, both of them marinating in pure silence, before closing her eyes and curling further around herself. “Don't answer that.” 

He mercifully stayed silent, content to watch as Bella's world crumbled in around her. After a few minutes he came and sat beside her, tentatively placing a soothing hand on her arm. Bloodlust didn't seem to be a problem with him, she noted. Unlike Edwa...unlike  _ him _ . 

She wanted to believe that everything she was being told was a lie. She so desperately wanted to forget what this Vampire was saying and go back to her semi-normal life with her boyfriend, to get things back to how they were before he left. But she knew in her heart that it was an impossible dream. She knew that what this mysterious Vampire said was true, she could feel it. Her instincts never lied. 

"What do I do now?” She asked, her voice as small as she felt. She couldn't stay with  _ Him _ now that the elephant in the room had been revealed. But he had become very...possessive over her as of late. She wasn't allowed to meet with her friends or go out, even when Charlie had allowed it through her heavy punishment for running off to Italy for several days. There was no way he would just let her go. 

"You need to run Isabella.” She looked up at him, startled. 

"I...I can't just run away.” She protested. "Charlie…” 

“I can handle the issues with your father Isabella.” The Vampire assured her. "Your only option is to leave this town. You may not be his mate, but you are his Singer. We Vampires do not share our prey, and we do not let it simply walk away.” 

“Prey.” Bella repeated, looking vaguely nauseous. The Vampire stood, facing her and giving her a look that made her sit up straighter and meet his eyes unwaveringly. 

"I have told you what needs to be done Isabella Swan, but the decision is ultimately up to you. You have two choices. You can give me back the book and forget this little meeting ever happened. Go back to your life of blissful ignorance with a man bred to kill you, and fade into the sands of time. Or you could stand up and walk out that door, never to return. You get into your car, and you just keep driving. Know that if you choose the second option, you will be cared for. I can guarantee that no harm will come to your father, or your mother in Florida. The contrary, the people you love will likely be far safer.” 

“Safer?” Bella questioned. The Vampire looked at her sadly. 

"Your blood is desired by more than just Edward Cullen, child. Stay here, and yes, you will be protected. Leave and you will be vulnerable. However it will draw eyes away from those you love, protecting them in ways only your absence can provide.” Bella closed her eyes.  _ Your blood is desired by more than just Edward Cullen...Stay and fade into the sands of time...He will be safer...Get in your car and just keep driving...Protection in ways only your absence can provide.  _ His words bounced around in her head, making it spin.

_ Protection for your family.  _

She was marked, if what this Vampire had told her was true (and she believed it was). Staying in Forks puts the whole town at risk. Edward was convinced that she belonged to him, that she was his to possess. He lied to her, she wasn't his mate. They all lied to her. They called her sister and daughter, but they kept the most basic and vital truths from her. Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, Ed... _ Edward _ . 

They weren't her family, they were her captors. 

The Vampire was right. Leaving was the only viable option. She couldn't stay and play the Cullen's little pet now that she was aware of the truth, and she knew they wouldn't willingly let her go. She couldn't stay and put everyone at risk. Not when she was marked. 

Protection for your family. 

She opened her eyes, feeling like she was seeing the world around her for the very first time. She knew what her choice was, what she had to do. She turned her head, agonizingly slow, towards the Vampire. Brown eyes met blood red, and Bella briefly experienced a case of deja vu. She remembered the first set of red eyes she saw. She remembered the tracker, James as he lured her out of hiding. He used her family as bait. This Vampire was doing the same thing, luring her out of hiding and using her family as bait. And just like that time with James the tracker, Bella could do nothing but comply. To what end? Bella had no idea. She took a breath, and nodded. 

"I'll go.” She said simply. At once she was pulled to her feet by the Vampire, The Guide in his hands once more, and steered her in the direction of The Cullen's front door. 

"Then we have no time left to waste. You must leave at once.” 

“But I don't have anything.” She protested. "No clothes, no money. I have nothing.” 

“As I told you Isabella, you will be cared for.” The Vampire said impatiently, leading her out the door she's crossed so many times. She's likely never going to cross it ever again, she thought as she bit her lip. He brought her over to her truck, and she noticed with surprise that the license plate had been changed, and a removable top had been installed on the bed of her truck. 

“How?...” She began, before the odd Vampire cut her off. 

“I do not work alone Isabella.” He told her, impatiently taking a duffel bag out of the back and handing it to her. "You will find that you have everything you need in this truck.” Bella curiously unzipped the bag a bit and took a small peek in, just to have her eyes bug out and all but fall right out of her sockets. 

"Funds have been provided.” He said neutrally as she bulged at him. "If you are smart, and I know you are, you should be able to live off of that for some time.” A tree rustled somewhere inside the woods, and the Vampire seemed to take it as a signal of some kind. "In the car.” He ordered, lifting her as if she was a small child and putting her in her beloved truck with Vampiric speed and grace. "Drive, and don't look back.” He ordered. She nodded, hastily turning the car on and buckling my seatbelt. “Oh, and Bella.” He said, making her turn to him in surprise. This was the first time he had even called her by her chosen name, despite Bella's requests that he do so when he'd first called her Isabella.

"Yes?” she asked, a little hesitant. A silken brow quirked upwards, and red eyes gazed seriously upon her wary face. 

"Don't go showing that book around to just anyone. Just trust  _ him _ .” He informed her . Bella's mind immediately flashed to her ‘ _ him’ _ . Her boyfriend, now her ex. 

"Who’s  _ him _ ?” She asked cautiously, meeting his eyes. The dark rubies glittered and sparkled with fun at the question, and his mouth picked up in a lopsided grin. 

“Your Guard darlin, your Guard.” he said, handing her back The Guide. “And before you ask, you'll know who he is when the time comes. Now step on it girl, before the mob catches on.” Bella nodded, and peeled out of the long driveway as fast as her truck could handle. She just kept driving, and driving, and driving. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon, not once looking back. 

_ You are now leaving Forks... _


	2. Of Hunters and Hidden Pages

**The Road So Far**

**Then:**

_"Don't go showing that book around to just anyone. Just trust him." The Vampire informed her urgently. Bella's mind immediately flashed to her ‘him’. Her boyfriend, now her ex._

_"Who's him?" She asked cautiously, meeting his eyes. The dark rubies glittered and sparkled with fun at the question, and his mouth picked up in a lopsided grin._

_"Your Guard darlin, your Guard." he said, handing me back The Guide. "And before you ask, you'll know who he is when the time comes. Now step on it girl, before the mob catches on." Bella nodded, and peeled out of the long driveway as fast as her truck could handle. She just kept driving, and driving, and driving. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon, not once looking back._

**_You are now leaving Forks…_ **

**Now:**

**The Guide and The Guard**

**Chapter 1- Of Hunters and Hidden Pages**

Bella drove through the night. After everything that happened that day, she simply couldn't bring herself to stop. She was headed somewhat Southwards she knew, but couldn't bring herself to pay too much attention as to where she was going. It was only after she had crossed the Washington state border and had made her way well into Oregon that she managed to bring herself to stop even for food.

She pulled over in a quaint little town near Portland, at some mom and pop diner tucked away neatly in a corner of the town center. She pulled her truck into the corner of the town parking lot, glad to see that most of the other cars were similar to hers and hoping that she wouldn't stand out too much. It was inevitable that she would stand out at least a little bit however, a stranger passing through a small town as she was. Hopefully no one would ask too many questions, she had a horrible poker face.

The diner had a warm and cozy feel to it. Bella could smell the aroma of pancakes wafting through the air, and her mouth watered. She didn't realize just how hungry she was, after skipping last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast. She eagerly sat down at a table in the corner of the room, and poured over the menu already waiting for her. After she was done she observed the other patrons around her. They were all more than likely regulars, this small town too far away from the interstate to get much traffic from there. Before long the waitress -a pregnant woman appearing to be in her thirties- came out.

"Well, here's a new face." She said with a smile, confirming her suspicions that everyone else were simply regulars. "What can I get you hun?" She asked. Bella glanced down at the menu again, organizing her somewhat jumbled mind.

"I'd like the six stack of blueberry pancakes please, with a side of bacon and a glass of orange juice please." She informed the woman, whose name was Fiona judging by her nametag.

"You sure sweets? We make 'em big here." The waitress warned. Bella nodded, putting down the menu and smiling at Fiona.

"I skipped breakfast this morning." She explained, and Fiona nodded in understanding.

"Good thing we serve it here all day then." She smiled in return. "I'll get that right out to ya Sugar." She said, heading back towards the kitchen. It was about eleven in the morning, and the other patrons were few in number. Slowly but surely they continued to dwindle, until Bella was the only one left. Fiona came back with her food after a few minutes, placing the plate and juice in front of her, with a small pitcher of syrup and a few packets of butter to boot. Bella's mouth watered at the scent, and eagerly grabbed her fork.

"Thank you." She said politely, before tucking into her plate with relish. Fiona smiled at her, slightly amused at the fervor with which Bella devoured her food.

"You really haven't eaten today, have you?" She said, more of a statement than a question. Bella shook her head anyways, taking a sip of her juice. "Are...are you alright honey?" She asked, concern furrowed in between her light brows. "Are you lost or in trouble or something?" Bella gulped. She should have seen this coming, should have been more careful in her words and actions. Now she was backed into a corner, and now the only option left to her was to lie. Her mind raced furiously, trying to think of something to say so this woman didn't think she was some kind of runaway. Which she sort of was, but that didn't mean that she wanted that broadcasted.

"I'm just on a bit of a road trip." She responded neutrally. There, that wasn't so much of a lie. "I'm meeting my boyfriend down the road a bit, and we're going on a cross country trip to celebrate my early graduation." Bella had no idea where that statement came from, or why she was as comfortable with it as she was her partial truth. Perhaps she was better at lying then she believed she was. Fiona smiled at her, visibly relaxing as she rubbed her prominent baby bump.

"Congratulations." She complimented. "It's so nice to see that some young people are taking their education seriously. Your family must be really proud of you." I laughed and smiled at her.

"It's the only reason that my dad let me go off with my boyfriend." I laughed, and she joined me.

"That's understandable, goodness knows I wouldn't want my little girl off with a boy." She said, rubbing her belly again fondly.

"How far along are you?" Bella asked curiously. Fiona smiled warmly at her.

"About seven months now, and I tell you my mother's instincts have started kicking in something fierce." She laughed. "Speaking of sweetheart, when was the last time you got any sleep? You look like death warmed over." Bella inwardly winced, thinking about how positively frightful she must look right about now, after the stressful day yesterday and the lack of sleep last night.

"I drove through the night." She replied, not really wanting to lie too much to this kind woman. Fiona frowned and put a hand on Bella's arm.

"You should really get some rest dear. I know that you're probably really excited to see your boyfriend, but you won't be able to enjoy yourself as much if you're so exhausted." Bella sighed, and nodded. Her new found freedom would do her no good if she ended up falling asleep at the wheel. The last thing she needed was a car crash.

"Is there any place where I can get a room for the night?" Bella asked. Fiona nodded and rubbed the small of her back as she pointed out the window and across the town square.

"See that building with the red sign? It's our motel. You should be able to stay there for the night. There's no parking, but you can just leave your car in the town parking lot for the night. No one will give you a ticket or fine you or anything." Bella smiled and thanked her. She quickly finished wolfing down her food, the pancakes and bacon, downing the last of her juice. She paid for her food, making a point to leave Fiona a good tip. Making her way out of the diner, Bella decided to head back to her car before heading over to the motel. She hadn't had the chance yet to look through the supplies that the mysterious Vampire had given her. She had the duffel bag full of cash of course, and the fake ID that named her as Isabella Gray instead of Isabella Swan. Otherwise however, she had no idea what she had been given, as it was all locked in the bed of her truck. Frowning slightly, she unlocked it. The heavy top was thankfully on some kind of lead, which allowed her to lift it up without issue. When her eyes fell upon the neatly stored luggage and boxes, her mouth dropped. 

The truck bed was all but full of supplies, from suitcases to duffel bags to industrial chests, even a sleeping bag. Hesitating, she opened a chest. It was full of tools and things for working on her car. She wasn't the greatest mechanic, but she had learned some from Jake during their long days together. Hopefully she would be able to take care of anything that came up with The Thing. She opened another, and her eyes bugged out.

The whole chest was packed full of an odd collection of weapons and other strange things that had no business among weapons. There were handguns, knives, swords, a few rifles, a sawed off shotgun that Bella was certain was illegal, even a water pistol for some reason. Among these were a couple canisters of rock salt, several bottles of a clear liquid marked 'Holy Water', and a couple of opaque bottles with a dark liquid marked 'Dead Man's Blood' which made her shudder and quickly move on, grabbing a suitcase and hurriedly opening it.

This proved to be a good choice, and Bella sighed in relief to see that the suitcase was full of new clothes. Tucked away on the top flap was a bag of toiletries, and Bella gratefully zipped it back up and brought the suitcase down to bring into the motel with her. Upon further inspection, Bella found the other duffel bags to contain both books and various odds and ends the Vampire obviously felt that she needed. Deciding to leave inspecting the books for another day, Bella took the duffel of odds and ends out, and swiftly locked up. She was momentarily worried about leaving the duffel full of money in the truck, but upon inspection of the lock that kept the lid down realized that it would probably take an expert lock picker some time to break in. It wasn't as if her truck would invite a robbery after all, so she decided to leave it. She grabbed her bags and The Guide, and set off across the square to the motel to get her room.

The person manning the front desk was a young man with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, maybe a couple of years older than herself. He was lounging behind the desk lazily when she walked in the door, but the moment he saw her he immediately straightened and put on a more official air.

"Can I help you miss?" He asked politely, gathering his papers and putting them in a neat pile on his desk. Bella gratefully placed her bags down on the ground, but kept The Guide tucked away safely under her arm. She wasn't quite sure why, but she was extremely reluctant to let it go for even a minute. If that continued, Bella would have to look into getting herself a small purse just to keep it in. Constantly carrying it in her hands was pretty inconvenient after all.

"Yes, I would like a room please." She told him, hugging The Guide even more firmly to her side. The man hastened to accommodate her.

  
  


"Single or double bed?" He asked, opening the motel's ledgers and flipping to the right page.

"Single." She told him, handing over her fake ID. The man took it and glanced at it for a moment, to get her name for their records and to verify that she was eighteen or older before handing it back. He wrote down her name and room in the ledger, and rummaged around in a drawer for a moment before handing her a key.

"You'll be in room 22, the best single we have." he informed her with a large smile. Would you like help carrying your bags Miss Gray?" Bella smiled back at him and nodded, thanking him. She carried the duffel bag and The Guide up the stairs, while the man carried her small suitcase. They swiftly reached room 22, and he placed her suitcase down before it with a small puff of air.

"Thank you." Bella informed him genuinely, a bright smile lighting up her face. The man's blue eyes seemed to grow foggy and distant, and he nodded with a bright smile of his own.

"You're very welcome miss." He told her honestly. "Just let me know if you need anything else." Bella nodded, and he left her alone.

Her room was small and plain, but had a homey, lived in feel that almost immediately had Bella at her ease. The cream colored walls were mostly bare, aside from a well placed picture or two and a pretty round mirror over a wooden dresser. There was no TV, but there was a nice squashy armchair with a side table and a lamp next to it. It was perfect for reading, which was ideal since that was Bella's planned activity for the evening. Before she ploughed in however, she placed her suitcase and duffel on the patchwork quilted bed and opened her suitcase.

Her clothes were plain, sturdy things. There were plenty of tank tops, t-shirts and flannel shirts, a couple pairs of jeans, a pair of sweatpants that she eyed longingly, and an assortment of undergarments that made her wonder if she should be thankful or embarrassed. Not that they were silky, lacy lingerie or anything. They were all modest and practical things, and Bella made a mental note to pick up bleach and laundry detergent at some point so she would be able to clean them. There was also a pair of sturdy brown work boots that Bella was sure she would get a lot of use out of. Her balance was always a bit better in boots, something about the weight, or maybe widening her center of balance. Oddly enough, there was no coat to be seen anywhere. There hadn't been one in the truck, she was sure. She shrugged, figuring that they -whoever they were- must have simply forgotten. Vampires weren't as sensitive to temperature after all.. She grabbed some of the new clothes and headed over to the bathroom, deciding that it was high time that she scrubbed the grime of the drive off of her.

She turned on the water and stripped, letting out a sigh as she stepped in and let the hot spray hit her back. She let herself stand there for a few minutes, absorbing the delicious heat falling in rivulets down her body. Eventually she started to scrub herself clean, relishing the feeling of dirt and dead skin being thoroughly removed from her body. All too soon she turned off the water, and dried herself off with a fluffy white towel. Slipping on a t-shirt and the sweatpants she had been eyeing, Bella grabbed The Guide and curled up in the armchair to research more the book that had changed her life so dramatically in so little time.

Hours past, and it was well into the evening when Bella looked up from The Guide. Her eyes were blurry and unfocused, and the words in the book were starting to blur and move. As tired as she had been however, the excitement of learning all these new things about the world around her had her completely wired. She decided that she should go through the small duffel she was given full of odds and ends that The Vampire and whoever worked with him had thought that she needed. There was a cell phone which was obviously a burner that you could pick up at the nearest convenience store, a full set of colored pencils and a sketchpad, a blank notebook, a silver zippo lighter, matches, an assortment of candles, chalk, and a tiny velvet jewelry box. Frowning, she opened it. Nestled in the silk padding was a solid silver pentagram necklace and an iron endless knot ring, with a written note 'for protection against demonic possession' in a neat scrawl. Bella looked at the pendant for a moment, turning it over in her hands and tracing the design with her finger. She put the necklace on and tucked it under her shirt, finding the light weight of it against her chest somewhat reassuring. The ring swiftly followed, taking its place on her hand before her hunger made itself known again. Bella rolled up off the twin bed she was sitting on while inspecting the content of the little bag, and headed back across the street for some food.

It was dark outside now, but the street lights were on so she had no difficulty getting across the street. The parking lot was almost completely empty now save for two trucks. One of course was her own, and another was a much newer model. It was a glossy and shiny black, with a covered back like hers and stood a bit higher off the ground. She shrugged and continued across the square, making her way back inside the diner. It was a lot more crowded than it was this morning, all the patrons and wait staff alike grouped together around a police officer who seemed to be telling a story.

"I'm telling you, it was plain as the nose on my face that Anderson didn't kill those three girls." He said impressively to the crowd of rapt listeners. "Poor bastard doesn't even have the stomach to kill a fly."

"Then why did the chief arrest him?" One patron asked, and the cop shrugged and took a sip of his drink.

"Well it's his building, and we found out that he was screwing one of the victims. Maybe even all of them." There were murmurings of surprise amongst the crowd, and the cop continued, like he was pleased to be drawing that much attention. "I tell you what though, when we first got into the building tonight I coulda sworn I saw Jack Thompson himself standing over the poor girl." Gasps came from the crowd, who immediately began to protest.

"Not possible, he's dead. Damn his hide to hell."

"Yeah, Chief shot him dead."

It was then Bella noticed that she wasn't the only one listening to the story away from the crowd. A man that looked to be in his late forties or early fifties sat a little ways away from her, avidly listening to every word the cop said. He had dark hair that was peppered with grey, and his clothes had a rugged and lived in air to them. The crowd around the cop dwindled, and Bella took a seat, glancing towards the man again. He was gone. Fiona came up then, smiling at her in recognition.

"What can I get ya hun?" She asked. Bella ordered, and her food was promptly brought out.

"You're looking much better." Fiona observed with a smile. Bella smiled back at the kind woman, and shrugged.

"It's amazing what a good meal and a hot shower can do for you." She responded.

"You should probably add a good night's sleep to that too hun." Fiona told her in a motherly tone, causing Bella to let out a sigh. Her own mother, while Bella knew she cared, never really bothered to enforce sleep. Or eating. Or any type of vital self care that Bella now found all too easy to skip. 

"I would, but I just can't seem to switch my brain off." She said. Fiona smiled sympathetically, and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Why don't you go on a little walk then sweets? I always find that a bit of fresh air can calm down my mind when all the king's horses couldn't." She offered. Bella thought it over for a second, before nodding. She couldn't help but feel a spark of envy for Fiona's unborn child, and bitterness towards her own for not giving Bella what she had needed as a child. Maybe that was why she had latched on to The Cullens, motherly Esme especially.

"I think I might do that, thanks Fiona."

"Anytime sugar." She said, walking off to another table. Bella quickly finished her food, dismissing her earlier thinking about Renee, and pensively thinking about the little bag of things she had been given. There was a sketchpad and pencils in it. It wasn't a widely known fact that Bella enjoyed drawing, she wasn't even sure her own father was aware. How then did this strange Vampire? There were two possibilities. Either he knew more about her than almost anyone else in her life, or he felt that somehow she would need it. Shaking her head, she quickly paid for her food before walking back out into the crisp night air. She chose a random direction to head in, and took off.

***

She had been walking for about a half-hour, enjoying the cool night air and the scent of the country when she heard a loud noise to her right. Across the street was a cemetery, and Bella tried to get all the monsters she had read about out of her head as the noise came again. She hesitated for a minute, thinking about the fact that she was unarmed.

"My life has become the Thriller music video." She mumbled under her breath, before shaking her head and crossing the street. She had managed to bring herself to leave The Guide in the motel room hidden behind the mirror, and she was glad her hands at least would be free. She followed the noises getting steadily louder and louder, and hid behind a convenient tree as she spied on the situation. The man from the diner earlier seemed to be fighting some invisible force by a dug up grave. The man managed to get ahold of his gun and shoot it towards whatever he was fighting, making it materialize for a moment, before flickering back out of sight. It was a man with red hair and dark brown eyes. His skin was deathly pale, and he stood protectively over the open grave. _A Ghost_. Her mind helpfully supplied. The ghost hissed in pain as the man shot at him again, and the man fell to the ground. The ghost disappeared as the man stood and started to regain his bearings, but rematerialized directly behind him as the man readied his gun.

"Look out!" Bella cried as the ghost prepared to strike. The man spun around, but was sent flying backwards by the ghost. Bella rushed to him, checking to see if he was still alive. He was, but had been rendered unconscious. Suddenly Bella felt an icy hand on her shoulder, and she was thrown away from the man. She hit the ground hard, an unbecoming **_oomph_ ** escaping her lips as the air left her lungs. Before she knew it the ghost was on top of her, grinning savagely. He locked both icy hands around her neck, and Bella gasped out, still out of breath as it was. A shot rang out, and the ghost howled in pain and released her. The man was awake, and grimly holding a sawed off shotgun still pointed at the ghost. Frantically she tried to push the ghost off of her, the hand with the iron ring striking the ghost's skin and making it smoke and sizzle. The ghost screamed as it disappeared for another moment. The man offered a hand to help her up, his eyes still scanning the area.

"Who is that? Bella asked, gratefully accepting the hand.

"His name is Jack Thompson." The man said.

"Is he a vengeful spirit, or just a violent one?" She asked, much to his surprise. He turned to Bella for a moment with his eyebrows raised, before going back to scanning the area.

"Both I think, but it won't matter that much in a minute." He said gruffly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a box of matches.

"See that open grave over there? Light a match and toss it onto the remains, I already salted them before the bastard got here." Bella nodded, taking the box in her hands and rushing over to the grave before Jack Thompson could rematerialize. She lit the match, and she could almost feel the man tensing behind her. A shot rang out, and he shouted. "Now girl, now!" Bella hesitated, and then tossed the match on top of the bones. They went up like dry wood, and an unearthly screech came from just behind her. She whipped around to see the spirit of Jack Thompson, standing just behind her with an arm extended like he was about to throttle her again. He flickered for a moment, and then faded from existence. The man came up next to her, dusting himself off from the fight and grimly putting away his weapons.

"You did a good job out there." He said gruffly, offering a hand. "You new to this?" Bella eyed the hand with caution for a moment, before softly taking it.

"New to what?" She questioned, and John's eyebrows lifted again.

"You really don't know?" He asked in astonishment, and Bella shook her head.

"I know about Ghosts, Witches, Vampires and things like that." She answered. "But what are you?" He actually smiled a little,, with a look crossing his face that was reminiscent of a person looking at a kitten, an _aww, how cute_ type thing. He chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"I'm just a normal human miss, but I hunt 'Ghosts, Witches, Vampires and things like that'." He responded to her curious and almost nervous question. "And you are?"

"I'm just a girl." Bella told him, and it was true. All she was, was an ordinary girl that happened to have a rather extraordinary book.

"You got a name, girl?" He asked, his voice was low and gravely.

"I'm Bella." The man nodded, as if approving the fact that she had deliberately not given him a last name.

"John." He returned, and Bella nodded.

"So you're some kind of hunter?" She asked curiously, and he nodded. "For how long?"

"About twenty years now." He said simply, and Bella gaped. "Listen, why don't I give you a ride back to your place. It's dangerous to walk around unarmed at night, and I can answer any questions you might have along the way." He offered gruffly. Bella hesitated, years of her father drilling 'stranger danger' lectures bouncing to the forefront of her mind. She felt comfortable around this man however, a sort of familiar aura surrounding him. Plus, she really didn't feel like walking the half-hour back to the motel.

"I'm staying at the motel." She told him, and he nodded.

"That's where I'm staying too." He told her, leading the way over to his car. It was the same truck she had seen in the parking lot with her own earlier today. He walked over to the driver's side and got in, leaving Bella to scramble up the tall car and into the passenger side.

For all that John said he would answer her questions, the car ride back to the motel was mostly silent. Bella did ask a few questions, and John did answer. For the most part however, they were silent. He pulled into the town parking lot, and parked right next to her truck.

"That's my car." Bella said unnecessarily, and John nodded.

"It's a good car. Chevy knows what they're doing. They build borderline tanks." He said, giving back what he got in the meager yet comfortably quiet conversation. Bella wondered idly if John was 'The Guard' that The Vampire was talking about, but shooed away the idea as soon as it came. While she and John seemed companionable enough, The Vampire had told her that she would know her Guard when it came down to it. That was why she automatically deflected any time John had asked her a question about herself during the drive.

***

John had walked Bella up to her room, and had made sure she was safely inside before he walked back downstairs to his own room, kicking off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket before pulling out a phone. He checked his messages and frowned, before sharply dialing a number. It rang for a moment, before a young man picked up on the other end.

"Dean, are you alright?" He asked urgently, like he was ready to run out the door in his socks if it meant getting to this person.

_"Yeah Dad, I'm fine."_ Dean said. _"Turned out to be a run of the mill cursed object, no big deal."_ John relaxed back into his seat, a worn and tired look crossing his proud features.

"Just took care of a salt and burn myself." He informed his son. "Listen, since I'm so close I think I'm going to head down to Stanford to check on Sam. You think you'll be ok on your own for a bit longer?"

_"Yes sir, I'll be fine. Got a new job lined up. Suspicious animal attack happened in Genesis, Wyoming yesterday. Think I'm gonna go check it out."_

"You sure you don't need backup?" John asked.

_"Nah, it'll probably be nothing. There are a lot of bears in the area after all."_

"Still, be careful. Don't let your guard down." John told his eldest sternly.

_"Yes sir. You know me, always on guard duty."_ Dean joked, before he said his goodbyes and hanging up.

***

Bella was sitting in the armchair again, flipping through The Guide. She was eager for bed after the fight with Jack Thompson, but had a mission to accomplish before doing so.

"Aha!" She muttered under her breath as she found what she was looking for.

**_Hunters:_ **

_Hunters are Humans or benevolent creatures of the Supernatural world, dedicated to the eradication of all malevolent forces. As much as there are monsters in this world, there are few of the guardians of mankind to combat them. The vast majority are humans, and all have a low life expectancy because of the numerous dangers they choose to face on a daily basis. They are experts at living under the radar, and are good allies to have when regularly faced with danger._

Bella turned the page to see if there was more, but there wasn't. She had lit a candle when John had dropped her off in her room, and was enjoying the soft light immensely. Odd, this page felt very stiff in her hand. It had been just a day, and already Bella was used to the thin and delicate pages that made up The Guide, almost like the pages in a Bible. This page however felt more like the thick paper in a sketchpad, not at all like the other pages. Following her instincts, she raised the book to eye level to inspect the page more closely. The pages weren't stuck together she was sure, since from the side it looked like one solid page. Frowning in concentration, she flipped the book over and looked at the page from the bottom. She wiggled it around a little, and sure enough there was a minor split in the middle. A hidden page then.

Bella stood and put the book on the low dresser before her. She grabbed a letter opener from the small writing desk beside the dresser and carefully poked it in between the hidden pages. Slowly but surely she cut it free, and let out a triumphant noise when she finally finished and opened to the page. It was blank. Perfectly unmarked, and utterly flawless. Bella's eyes furrowed in confusion, and she took the book back up in her hands. She leaned towards the candle to get better light, and reared back in shock. Just for the brief moment that the candlelight had hit the page, she had seen thick black ink blossom to life all across both pages. Hesitating, she put the book back down on the dresser, and moved the candle so it's light shone unhindered on the pages.

The effect was immediate. Faster than she could blink, the pages were covered in black ink again. She watched in fascination as the ink seemed to move of its own accord, moving and taking a shape that spanned both pages. A bit of ink started to form words, but Bella couldn't read them as they seemed to be in some kind of weird language. The rest of it formed a very familiar shape to her, as well as one particular word in English.

"Forks." She whispered, touching the book for a brief second. The pages seemed to shimmer, before the shape of Forks, Washington morphed into the sleepy little seaside town she was currently in. Bella blinked in surprise, and the ink began to morph once more. An odd outline took form, that she thought might have been a state. The English words formed next, the ones in the other language not moving since their first forming. Bella read them eagerly, inwardly thanking whoever was listening that this bit happened to be in English.

_Genesis, Wyoming._


	3. Windows to the Soul

**The Road So Far**

**Then:**

_Bella blinked in surprise, and the ink began to morph once more. An odd outline took form, that she thought might have been a state. The English words formed next, the ones in the other language not moving since their first forming. Bella read them eagerly, inwardly thanking whoever was listening that this bit happened to be in English._

**_Genesis, Wyoming._ **

**Now:**

**The Guide and The Guard**

**Chapter 2- Windows to the Soul**

Bella woke up the next morning to bright sunlight streaming through the sheer lace curtains of her hotel room. Turning away from the too bright light with a groan, she rolled out of bed and looked over at The Guide on the dresser. She had taken a poor quality picture of the hidden map she had found last night on her new phone, which should be more than sufficient for whatever it was she chose to do with it. What was she going to do with it? Following a strange map without a clear reason or destination and seemed to constantly be changing seemed kinda sketchy to her. Then again, she had followed the directions of a strange Vampire that had obviously fed off of humans and left behind everything she knew. He had said that she was going to need The Guide, was the map the reason why? Bella yawned and stretched her arms as she padded over to The Guide. She opened the book back to the page with the map, once again smooth and blank now that it was out of the candlelight. She pulled out her cheap flip phone then, pulling up the photo she had taken of the map the night before. 

Genesis, Wyoming. Bella had never heard of it. She wished she could look it up and get some information on the city or town, but another thing that the Vampire had seemingly forgotten was a laptop. Not that she was really complaining, the Vampire had gotten Bella away from Forks without a hitch, and she had more than enough money to buy anything The Vampire and whoever was working with him forgot to supply. She would just have to stop by a Best Buy or something to pick up a laptop along the way, as well as someplace where she could find a jacket. Or better yet, a raincoat. It was April, less than a month after her disastrous trip to Italy. Rain was likely going to be a constant companion no matter where she went for a while, and there was nothing Bella hated more than being rained on. April showers, and so on. Actually, maybe an umbrella was in order too. Bella started packing up her new things into their luggage, and set out to leave the room in a relatively neat order. They were going to come in after her of course, but Bella felt kinda bad about making the employees of the obvious mom and pop business work more than they had to. 

Bella quickly checked out of the motel, the desk attendant an older man this time that smiled at her kindly before sending her on her way. As Bella stepped out into the cool spring air she breathed deep and smiled, looking up. It wasn’t raining yet, and she found herself enjoying the refreshing bite to the air, even if it did foretell a rainstorm later. Her eyes fell naturally down to the parking lot across the street, and she froze. There was more than a few cars in the parking lot today besides her own, but that wasn’t the problem. John’s truck was gone. Bella frowned, heading towards the parking lot. As she drew nearer, she spotted something white under one of her windshield wipers. It turned out to be an envelope, with her name written on it in neat and precise handwriting. 

  
  


_Bella,_

_I had to leave early this morning, but it was good meeting you._

_If you ever need to get ahold of me, call (778)237-3022. Either myself or my son will come to help._

_-John_

Bella frowned at the note, but quickly plugged the number into her caller ID nonetheless. Having a Hunter in your list of contacts was nothing to scoff at, and John had been kind enough to her. She continued over to the diner to get some breakfast, and Fiona smiled at her as she walked in. 

“You’re looking a lot better.” She observed, and Bella smiled.

“Thanks, turns out all I needed was a good night’s sleep.” She told the pregnant waitress as she was led to a seat.

“Told ya it would do ya some good sugar. Mothers, even mothers to be, always know best.” She laughed. “Your man won’t know what hit him.” Bella smiled again.

“I hope so.” Was all she said, before quickly ordering. She didn’t like having to lie to Fiona, who had been nothing but genuinely sweet to her. It was for the best though, a teenage girl traveling alone in a beat up car was bound to grab attention. If she wasn’t careful, she’d be pegged as a runaway. She had always had the air and demeanor of an old soul, but her narrow face always looked especially youthful and innocent. The two things balanced each other out, but Bella couldn’t rely on her old soul to pass through being noticed. 

The meal was excellent, and Bella decided to get some lunch to go as well. She had no idea how long she’d be driving, and she didn’t want to get to the ravenous state she had been in yesterday when she arrived. Fiona had been more than happy to oblige, and Bella made a mental note to leave her another good tip. After finishing her meal and packing up her lunch, Bella felt a flicker of regret. Just one day in and Bella had already found herself completely at ease in this little town. A part of her didn’t want to leave, but the mystery of the map still lingered in her mind like a heavy cloud. To Wyoming she would go, then.

She just hoped she wouldn’t someday be kicking herself for her curious persistence.

***

  
  


It was late in the evening when Bella finally spotted a sign that told her that Genesis was less than ten miles away. _Finally_ , she thought as she peered through her windshield at the dark and rainy road before her. She had gotten out to stretch her legs more than once on the trip before the heavens had opened up, one of them to a convenient computer store to pick up a computer and a GPS. The frequent stops had kept her level headed and focused, but they had also ultimately stretched the car trip’s length into over twelve hours since she had left Fiona’s little diner. Bella was more than ready to be done with her road trip for the day. She’d find the nearest motel or inn that she could find, and she’d try to get a good night’s sleep before going out to find whatever the hell The Guide was leading her to. She noticed someone else’s car lights a ways behind her, and she glanced at the clock. She hadn’t expected anyone else to be on the road at this time, especially the deep country road that she was currently on. A fluttering feeling of worry flew through her, and she bit her lip. Could this be the Cullens, tracking her down already? 

Suddenly her truck shuddered, and Bella’s attention was sharply brought back to the present. “Come on baby, don’t die on me now.” She muttered, patting the dashboard absently. Her truck spluttered indignantly, not used to being worked as hard as it had in the past few days. Groaning along with her beloved truck, Bella pulled over to the side of the road with what little control of the vehicle she had left. She got out of the car, and immediately was drenched to the bone. She shivered, the cool night air working with the soaking downpour to chill Bella all the way down her spine. She circled around to the front, and popped open the hood. Bella grimaced as she glared down at the inner workings of her truck. Cars had never been her strong suit, and she couldn’t make heads or tails of what could possibly be wrong. Not to mention that her favorite mechanic was all the way back in Washington. 

Bella had to swallow a lump that rose in her throat as she thought of Jacob. She hadn’t spoken to him since before Italy. She had tried, more than once in fact, but Jacob had made it clear that he didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. Bella had made her bed, and now she had to lie in it. She had chosen Edward, and because of it she lost Jacob. Surprisingly, Bella found a spark of bitterness well up in her at the thought, at both Edward and Jacob. That was new. Bella shook the thought off. Jacob was allowed to choose to not speak to her anymore, and it was her own fault that Edward had manipulated her. Somewhere behind her beaten up Chevy she heard the quiet purr of a well tuned engine above the white noise of the storm. It came closer, and Bella figured whoever was driving must have pulled over as well. The purring abruptly ceased, and a car door slammed shut. 

_Great, knowing my luck I’m about to be cut into tiny pieces by a backroads axe murderer._ Bella thought grimly. She heard footsteps coming towards her, too heavy to be any of the elegant and poised Cullens. She barely had time to thank whatever lucky stars she had before he was upon her, rounding around her truck. 

“Hey, you need a hand?” The man asked. His voice was deep, and slightly gravelly. It tugged faintly at the strings of one of Bella’s memories, but she shook it off. His eyes caught her attention at once, and drew her in.

“Hi.” Bella replied shyly, feeling her cheeks heat up. “Umm.” 

“Car trouble?” The man guessed, grinning. Bella’s breath hitched, and she felt her blush deepen. What the hell was happening? She had never had a reaction like this with someone before, not even with Edward. Not that Bella had ever seen someone quite like this man before either. Yes, he was attractive, absurdly so, but she had regularly communed with the likes of greek gods. There was something different about this man though, something rugged and deep that immediately set Bella on edge, and somehow calmed her down all at the same time. 

“Yeah.” She responded sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. “I was just about to call a tow truck, actually. I can't seem to figure out what's wrong.” The man nodded. 

“You know, I actually know a thing or two about cars. I could take a look if you like.” He suggested. Bella smiled, relief suddenly rushing through her. If she was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a broken down car, having a handsome man with car experience pull up moments later was definitely one of her top choice scenarios.

“That would be great, thanks.” She said enthusiastically, still smiling softly. The man nodded and offered his hand to Bella. “I'm Dean.” 

“Bella.” She said, taking his rough and calloused hand in her own small, white one. She noticed scars all over the hand she was given in the few, lingering moments their hands were touching. Most were along his knuckles, like he had punched his own hands bloody more than once. His fingers were long and slightly uneven, like he had dealt with more than one broken finger without having it set properly. Dean took his hand back, and turned to her truck. He poked his head under the hood for a good look for a moment, and then turned back to Bella. 

“Try starting it for me, would you?” He asked. Bella nodded, barely seen in the low light. She climbed back into the driver's seat, and tried to start the car again. It didn't work, but Dean made a noise like he was pleased. 

“Got it. Looks like your battery died. Not surprised, this thing is older than the hills, though you’ve been keeping it in pretty good condition. You got jumper cables?” Bella nodded, she remembered seeing jumper cables among the things she had been given to care for her truck on the long journey she hadn't even known she was going on. The Vampire must have known about the hidden page somehow, there was no other logical reason why he could have given The Guide to her. Though why she was given The Guide and The map to follow, she had no idea. There had to have been a reason though, Bella couldn't have been simply picked at random. She supposed this all could have been a passing whim for The Vampire, an amusement to while away the countless centuries. Or possibly this was all just a new game for The Cullens. Leaving Bella last autumn must not have screwed her enough psychologically, so they had come up with a whole new game. It definitely would be amusing to them, watching her dance around and trying to follow a map that leads to nowhere. Bella was cut out of her reverie by Dean speaking to her again. 

“Alrighty, I'll just give you a boost then. You should be fine after that.” Bella nodded, going around to the back of her truck to find the right cable, shivering and miserable from the rain all the way. She thought more about the whole purpose of her trip as she dug through the proper chest. Even if this was some kind of hoax, and The Vampire had lied to her, would she go back to Edward and the Cullens? She truly believed that The Vampire had been telling her the truth when he told her that Edward didn't love her. It just made too much sense. She was plain, uninteresting Bella Swan. His prey. The only thing that had kept her alive that first day was her silent mind, she was sure. 

Bella finally found the jumper cable just as she heard Dean's light footsteps again, coming around to check on her. Bella turned around abruptly to get down before Dean got there. Of course, being clumsy Bella Swan had it's disadvantages. Her foot caught on the side of one of the many chests strapped down in the bed of her truck, and her other foot immediately slid out from under her from the floor that had become slick with rain. Bella sprawled forward, bumping hard into the corner of her truck and knocking the wind out of her before she rebounded off the side and went straight for the wet and dark void that was the road. 

She heard a surprised _“Whoah”_ coming from somewhere close to her right, and before she had the chance to hit the wet asphalt she felt strong arms wrap around her. The arms hauled her down from the truck bed safely, placing her carefully upright and stabilizing her when her coughing and sputtering threatened to knock her over once again. “Easy there.” Dean said as Bella continued to wheeze and gasp for breath. He sat her down on the truck bed, still shivering all the while from the cold and the damp and cursing internally the fact that she didn't have a coat. He took in her slight form with a frown before shrugging off his own beaten leather jacket, careful not to get the inside wet as he wrapped it around her. Bella took a shuddering breath, and something clicked into place. An overwhelming feeling of safety washed through her, and she snuggled back into the warmth of the jacket. It smelled like whiskey and gunpowder, something Bella had a feeling Dean was familiar with by the way he held himself. After living with her dad for so long, she could spot the confident way he held himself from a mile away. This was a man who more often than not carried a gun, and was definitely comfortable using it. Maybe he was a police officer as well? He looked a little young, but it was certainly possible.

“You good?” Dean asked, concerned. Bella nodded, handing him the jumper cable and waving him away. He hesitated, looking around like he expected some wild animal or psycho killer to jump out of nowhere and rip Bella to pieces right where she sat. After one final cautious look around, Dean went to get his car. In the minute or so it took for Dean to move his car into position so he would be able to jump her truck, Bella fought to regain her breath. She had had the wind knocked out of her more than once in her lifelong war against gravity, but it was a sensation she would never get used to. Eventually she regained her composure, and rejoined Dean at the front of her truck. 

Dean's car had joined her own up front, hoods facing one another on account of her shorter than average cable. Bella spotted the Chevy symbol on the front, like her own car. Bella wasn't much of a car person, but even she could admit that Dean's car looked attractive and well cared for. Her own Chevy looked even more rusted and worn than it actually was standing next to the sleek black vintage looking car, and she patted the rusty red truck affectionately, as if assuring The Thing that she still loved it best. It was a gift from her father, after all. 

Dean had her car working again in a matter of minutes, his own engine’s quiet purr swiftly drowned out by her truck’s dull roar. Dean wiped his hands on his already drenched jeans, and smiled at Bella. “There you go, purring like a...well, that beast you have there ain't exactly a kitten. More like a sabertooth tiger.” He grinned. Bella smiled back at him, still feeling a light blush creeping up her neck. 

“Thank you, I really appreciate your help. I might have had to walk all the way to town, if I couldn't get ahold of any towing companies.” Bella said honestly, taking off Dean's jacket and handing it back to him. “And who knows how long it'd take me to find a motel or something.” 

“You new around these parts?” Dean asked, slipping his jacket back on. He guided her back to the door of her truck, and she climbed in to avoid getting even wetter. 

“Yeah, I'm just sort of passing through. You?” She responded, shivering and turning up the heat. Dean shrugged. 

“Business trip, I guess you could call it. Probably not going to spend more than two or three days here, and then I'll be out. I think there's an inn somewhere around 5th street. You can follow if you want, in case you need another jump.” 

“That'd be great, thanks.” Bella replied with a smile. Dean nodded, moving out of the little windbreak her truck provided and heading back to his own car, shutting her own for her as he left. 

***  
  


_The first thing Bella Swan had noticed about Dean Winchester was his eyes. They were green, greener than Bella had ever thought could possibly be real. There was a hard edge about them, like he had seen far too much and had been forced to fight with most of what he saw. Beyond that though, there was something warm inside the depths of his eyes, familiar and comforting, like grandma Isabelle’s homemade green apple pie. For the first time since she realized that humans weren't alone on this planet, that there were such things as Vampires, she felt safe._

_Similarly, the first thing Dean Winchester noticed about Bella Swan was her eyes. Brown and warm like a cup of hot cocoa. There was something about them however, something that implied that she was far more frightened than her situation would normally put her in, but also an underlying strength. Something about this girl reminded Dean of himself. Whatever it was that was scaring her, she was not about to take it lying down, he of all people could understand that._

_And for the first time since his brother left for college, he felt strong._


	4. Genesis: Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this is where we catch up to my present posting. I posted this just yesterday on ffn. Just so you all know, this story is going to be set up in a semi-episodic format, kind of like the show itself. Each "Episode" will consist of two or three chapters. 
> 
> Happy Reading!

**The Road So Far**

**Then:**

_ The first thing Bella Swan had noticed about Dean Winchester was his eyes. They were green, greener than Bella had ever thought could possibly be real. There was a hard edge about them, like he had seen far too much and had been forced to fight with most of what he saw. Beyond that though, there was something warm inside the depths of his eyes, familiar and comforting, like grandma Isabelle’s homemade green apple pie. For the first time since she realized that humans weren't alone on this planet, that there were such things as Vampires, she felt safe. _

_ Similarly, the first thing Dean Winchester noticed about Bella Swan was her eyes. Brown and warm like a cup of hot cocoa. There was something about them however, something that implied that she was far more frightened than her situation would normally put her in, but also an underlying strength. Something about this girl reminded Dean of himself. Whatever it was that was scaring her, she was not about to take it lying down, he of all people could understand that. _

_ And for the first time since his brother left for college, he felt strong. _

  
  


**Now:**

**The Guide and The Guard**

**Chapter 3- Genesis Part I:**

Bella carefully followed Dean’s car as it wove through the rain-slick streets. Though she had gotten drenched before Dean had let her borrow his jacket, she still felt uncommonly warm as she recalled how easily he had caught and held her up as she had fallen off of her truck. Considering the track record of men finding women alone on abandoned roads at night, Bella was counting her lucky stars that she had managed to happen across someone who had been kind enough to fix up her car for her. The Thing was still sputtering indignantly, and Bella knew that she had to bring her baby to a mechanic if she wanted to continue her little road trip of sudden independence. As they entered the small town of Genesis, Bella kept her eyes peeled for a mechanic. Before she knew it though, they both were pulling into the parking lot of the local motel. 

It was a pretty enough place, Bella noted. Small, but she guessed that the town didn’t exactly see much traffic. There was a park across the street, but Bella couldn’t get a good look at it through the current downpour. There was a rap on her car window, and Bella snapped out of her thoughts and opened the door. It was Dean of course, and he grinned apologetically at her as he held his coat above his head with one arm to keep the rain out of his face.

“Sorry to scare ya. I was just wondering if you needed any help? It’s pretty slippery out here, and you looked like you banged up your foot pretty badly when you fell back there.” Bella blushed at that. 

“It wasn’t that bad.” She protested, but still took the offered hand. Of course she immediately slipped while getting out of the truck, as if her own body was hellbound on proving her wrong. 

“Are you sure about that?” Dean smirked as he carefully steadied her. Bella huffed and said nothing, and Dean mercifully let it go as he easily guided her into the building. 

The place was a little run down, but clean at the very least. That boded well for the state of the rooms. The desk attendant was a loud looking middle aged woman. As they got closer, Bella noticed that her auburn hair was dyed, if the hint of grey flecked mousy brown at her roots was any indication. She was wearing a bedazzled zebra print blouse, and big purple reading glasses perched on her nose as she flipped a page. Interested, Bella took a peek at the cover of the book the woman was reading so avidly, and blushed as she noticed that the cover was adorned with a handsome man with his shirt ripped open, as he held a woman in a passionate embrace. Embarrassed, Bella cleared her throat awkwardly. The woman looked up abruptly, and her red lipstick smudged mouth curved up into a warm smile. 

“Oh, sorry about that!” The woman exclaimed. Her voice was a little nasally, but her overall tone was upbeat, and Bella found herself smiling at the energy, even this late. It reminded her of Alice. The thought of her former best friend had her stomach suddenly knotted into itself. Being reminded of Alice shouldn’t be comforting to her, considering Alice had not only not told her so many things, she likely had actively contributed to Edward’s manipulation due to her Gift. Bella couldn’t stop the wave of bitterness that crashed into her as a wave of bile rose in her throat. Bella was abruptly pulled back into the present as the attendant asked them what she could do for them. Bella felt the woman’s eyes scan her and Dean, standing side by side, and saw her face as she clearly came to her own assumptions. 

“We both need rooms.” Dean told her. The woman looked surprised. 

“Separate rooms?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. Both Bella and Dean nodded. 

“On separate bills as well, please. We only came in together.” Bella informed her. The woman looked at her, clearly not really believing her. Bella shifted uncomfortably, and Dean stepped in. He smiled disarmingly at the woman, and Bella could almost see her heart fluttering in the face of Dean’s smile. 

“Yeah, she was having some car trouble outside of town. I thought I’d just give her a hand.” He told the woman, who was apparently named Meg, as Bella glanced down at her nametag. Meg’s eyes widened slightly, and her eyes darted momentarily to the book she had been reading. Bella blushed once more, realizing that there must’ve been a similar situation in her book that likely ended in a less than realistic manner. 

“Oh, okay.” Meg responded, a little breathlessly. She quickly turned to her computer, long orange nails tapping away at the keyboard. She quickly got them both settled in rooms next to each other, and in no time at all Bella and Dean found themselves at the doors of their rooms. They both lingered, Bella finding herself not quite ready to be alone again, and drawn to Dean’s magnetic charm.

“You sure you don’t need any help carrying anything in?” Dean questioned, adjusting his single bag over his shoulder. It seemed like he too, was not ready to be alone. The rain had stopped, but the parking lot and walkways were still dangerously slippery. Bella shook her head, smiling softly at him. 

“Nah, I’ve got everything I need for tonight.” She told him, brandishing her own duffle bag. “I’ll clear out my truck tomorrow so I can bring it to the mechanic. It still sounds a little less than happy.” 

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” Dean agreed. “You seemed to be due for a new battery. Tell you what, how about I give you a ride back tomorrow when you bring the truck in? I doubt this town has cabs.”

“That would be great!” Bella blurted out enthusiastically, and then flushed at her outburst.  _ “Stupid.” _ She admonished herself internally.  _ “You’re acting no better than the woman at the desk, hanging on his every word like that.” _

Dean smiled at her, and then yawned. “I’ll see you in the morning then. Night Bella.” 

“Goodnight Dean.” She responded, going into her room. Upon entry, her eyes immediately fell on the only closed door in the room, conspicuously placed in the middle of the wall, and knew it was one of those doors that joined two rooms next to each other together. Which means that door led to Dean’s room. 

There was a special place in hell for Meg the desk attendant, Bella vowed internally as she checked the lock on the door.

***

Bella’s room was small, but comfortable and clean. Aside from the door that was currently distracting her, there was a full bed that beckoned to Bella after hours in the car. She tossed her duffel bag of clothes and toiletries onto the bed. The chill of the wet night was creeping back in on her, and Bella shivered slightly. Maybe a good hot shower was more in order than bed, she decided. She grabbed her sweats and toiletries and headed into the bathroom. 

Even after her shower -which hadn’t gotten as hot as Bella would like- she found herself incredibly wired. The idea of sleep being a mere memory at the moment, Bella settled in at a small desk in the room to do some studying of The Guide. Not for the first time, Bella wondered who wrote it. The entire thing seemed to be handwritten, with one principal penman taking up the bulk of the work, and additional notes added in over time by a number of different hands. Clearly Bella was far from the first owner of The Guide. A specific page caught her eye, and she paused her idle flipping through the pages. An interesting looking symbol blazed in the exact middle of the page, and Bella gazed at it for a moment before bringing her eyes up to the top of the page. 

**The Last Shadow Sigil**

_ Dating back to Pre-Mycenaean Greece, this symbol is most commonly used to ward off creatures of the night. In practical application, this symbol can be placed on the door of an abode, and no creature of darkness will be able to enter. _

Bella continued to read, fascinated. As she read, her mind whirled with the possibilities. Could this mean potential protection from The Cullens and Victoria, if either ever caught up to her? As she finished that page, she went on to the next. It was an addition by someone else after the fact, if the different handwriting was anything to go by. It was a sort of recipe made to convert the sigil into a protective charm to carry on someone’s person. Bella scanned through the directions, and found she recognized most of the ingredients required. She had them all in her truck, provided by the strange vampire that had given her The Guide in the first place. Making a snap decision, Bella gathered The Guide into her arms and went outside to her truck. 

Bella quickly gathered all the necessary ingredients for the sigil. She did, in fact, have all the needed ingredients for the charm to work. Holy Water, Liquid Starlight, which was in a crystal bottle that shimmered and danced like light on water, and a single, radiantly pale Unicorn Hair. Bella filed the fact that Unicorns actually existed away for later amazement, and went back into her room to work. First Bella took a couple of very thin rods of pure silver, and carefully bent and twisted them into the shape of the sigil. It was important, The Guide mentioned, to focus on the intent of protection during the making process, and Bella tried to keep that in the forefront of her mind as she worked. Once the sigil itself was made, it went into a mixture of Holy Water and Liquid Starlight, the latter shining so brightly undiluted that Bella had to look away as she added the necessary amount to the mixture. 

Then she braided the unicorn hair in with fine strips of leather, wetting everything with the mixture as she went, making a leather strap long enough to string the sigil on. Once she finished, she grimaced at the next set of instructions. Well, she had come this far. Wrinkling her nose, she picked up the mixture the sigil had been resting in before she had finished assembling, and drank every last drop. 

There was no flash, no noise, nothing to indicate that Bella had done things correctly. However, the moment Bella swallowed the mixture, her previous wired state evaporated. Her entire body relaxed, and she had an overwhelming sensation of peace and safety. It was stronger than even back when Jasper had used his Gift to calm her down during extreme moments of duress. The liquid itself had no distinguishable taste, but had a sensation of being both warm and yet deliciously cool. With her body as suddenly relaxed as it was for the first time in days, Bella could feel her exhaustion hit her harder than a brick wall. Satisfied with her night’s work, Bella settled down into the bed. Before she could even fully settle into her pillow, sleep consumed her. 

***

Bella awoke the next morning more refreshed than she had ever been in her life. No troubling dreams plagued her, and the feeling of peace that had lulled her to sleep last night had faded into a comfortable tingle as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Today she would pick up all the remaining items on the list of things her providers had forgotten, she decided. It was a small enough town, and walking around after so many days in the car was actually a pleasant idea to her. Moving quickly, Bella got herself ready for the day and unloaded her truck a little bit before Dean even came out of his room. Her truck was more than secure now with the additions The Vampire had added, but she wanted to make sure she had her hands on anything she needed if there were any other charms in The Guide that Bella wanted to try her hand at. 

“You’re certainly looking a lot perkier this morning.” Dean commented from behind Bella as she shut her truck back up tight. Bella whirled, and would’ve fallen yet again if Dean hadn’t seemed to anticipate as much and quickly caught and steadied her. “Sorry about that.” He grinned at her, but the glint in his eyes very clearly said that he had gotten the exact reaction that he had been looking for. 

“Sure.” Bella deadpanned, letting him know that she knew he didn’t mean it. Dean grinned wider, apparently liking her sarcasm even more than her timidity the night before. 

“How’s the foot?” Dean asked, referring to her would be fall the night before. Bella’s foot had in fact bruised from the whack it had gotten, but wasn’t really in any pain. Bella told him as much, and Dean nodded. “So, you ready to head out? Or do you need to get breakfast first?” Dean questioned. 

“No, I’m ready.” Bella said with a shake of her head. “I’m not really all that hungry, but if you need to get breakfast, by all means. I can wait.” That was true. Something about that mixture she had drunk last night got her energized and ready to go, not hungry in the slightest. She was sure that would fade quickly enough though. 

“Nah, I had leftovers from dinner last night.” Dean shrugged, crumpling up an old Burger King pouch and tossing it into a nearby trash can. Bella made a face while he did so. Leftover fast food was far from appetizing. Or healthy. It was something she knew Charlie had done before she went to live with him last year. Was probably doing again, now that she was gone. If he wasn’t looking for her that was. Bella suppressed a wince at that thought. The Vampire had told her that he would settle things with her father, and Bella honestly had no choice but to trust him. If she called Charlie now, the call could be traced, or the people who were after her could use it as an opportunity to use her father as leverage. So lost was Bella in her thoughts about her father, that she had fully gotten into her truck without realizing. The local mechanic was a little ways outside of Genesis, and Bella led the way with Dean hot on her tail. 

***

The Mechanic, Tom, may be the rudest person Bella met in her life, she decided. Tom had taken one look at her truck, looked Bella up and down a few times, and had decided that he was going to take the young woman for all he could. He had made three comments about how crappy of a truck it was, made six implications that Bella was incapable of taking care of her car, and had told her that he needed to do too much work and quoted her a truly obscene amount of money to do the work. Bella might not know much about cars, but she had good instincts about whether or not someone was lying to her, and Tom was most certainly trying to pull the wool over her eyes. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Dean said as he walked in. He had been waiting in his car to give Bella a ride back, but Bella had been arguing with Tom so long that he must’ve decided to come see what the hold up was. 

“I was just telling the little miss here that we have to order the battery for her car in special, and that’ll take a week and cost extra. She needs to get her engine flushed right away or it’s toast.” 

“Funny you should say that, because I know a mechanic back home that told me if someone ever told me that I need my engine flushed, they’re definitely ripping me off.” Bella retorted, thinking back to Jake’s lessons with her hands on her hips. “Not to mention my check engine light isn’t even on.” 

“Well miss, you clearly went to mechanic school, so why don’t you just keep on telling me how to do my job? You want me to fix your car, I’ll fix your car. That’s what it would take.” Tom shrugged, and Bella threw her hands up in frustration. 

“Actually she’s right.” Dean told Tom. “I was under the hood last night myself, and while that truck is a dinosaur, it’s in great condition. All I noticed was her battery looking a little worse for wear, and don’t tell me you have to order something in, because I could see at least three that would work from my car.” Tom gave Dean a look like a kid who was caught with their hand caught in the cookie jar, and then looked away and grumbled under his breath. 

“Thomas!” A feminine voice rang out. “Are you trying to rip off the customers again? I warned you to cut the crap, or you’re out of here.” An imposing older woman in overalls rounded the corner, a smudge of grease on her right cheek. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, not minding the oil on her hands that smeared across her clothes. The woman quickly accessed the situation, and sighed. “Let me take a look at your car hun. If we have the part here, I’ll only charge you for the labor.” Bella smiled in thanks, and Tom left, grumbling under his breath the whole way. Dean however turned to her with a contemplative look, and shook his head. 

“Were you really arguing with that guy the entire time?” He asked. Bella fidgeted, uncomfortable under his curious gaze. 

“I may not know a lot about cars, but I know when someone is lying to me.” She defended. “The guy barely took one look under the hood before spewing as much technical jargon as he could. Whenever anyone else I’ve seen that knows anything looks at my truck, they take their time to really look. Like you did last night.”

“You mentioned you had a mechanic friend back home?” Dean mentioned, and Bella nodded. 

“Yeah, he’s actually the one I got the truck from. He completely rebuilt the engine before I got it, and was the one I always went to for maintenance.” Bella told him as the woman came back, and quoted Bella a much more reasonable price, promising the work would be done by the end of the week. Bella gratefully thanked her, and then left with Dean. 

Dean’s car truly was beautiful, Bella had noted. He must’ve been very proud of it, and took care of it a lot more than Bella cared for The Thing. She made a mental note to stop by a car wash once she passed one on the road. Dean fiddled with the tape deck for a moment, turning down the volume a bit before turning on music. As Dean pulled out of the lot, Bella smiled softly as she recognized the music. 

“Led Zeppelin?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. Dean looked over at her, raising an eyebrow himself. 

“Didn’t realize you would recognize it.” He confessed. “Kids these days don’t exactly know good music.” 

“I’m sorry, did you really just say ‘kids these days’?” Bella laughed. “Easy old man, you’re  _ definitely _ not a day older than twenty five.” Dean shifted, and Bella could swear she almost saw a faint redness hiding behind the collar of his shirt. 

“Haha, very funny. I’m twenty four for the record, if you’re going to be a brat about things.” Dean muttered, turning up the music. Bella found herself smiling at him. 

“Well, also for the record, I’m eighteen.” Bella informed him. “I also know zeppelin because my parents were both fans.” 

“See, you have problems being called a kid, and then you go and say stuff like that.” Dean complained. Bella laughed again. 

“So you’re telling me that’s not where you started liking this music?” She challenged. _"_ _ What am I even saying?"  _ She hissed at herself internally. _ "Shut up! _ " She did however get a slight feeling of vindication as Dean shifted awkwardly again. “That’s what I thought.” 

“You know, if you’re gonna keep being a brat you can just walk back to the motel.” Dean informed her without any heat. He also didn’t make so slow down the car, so Bella figured she was safe

_ "Where is all of this coming from?"  _ Bella asked herself astoundedly. _"_ _ I never acted this way with Edward." _ Maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing though. Edward would have never tolerated Bella sassing him like that, but if anything Dean seemed to be enjoying himself, other than momentary surprise and awkwardness. There was a faint smile curving at his lips, different from the near constant stream of grins and smirks she had been seeing on his face up until now. His eyes were a little distant and sad, like she was reminding him of someone else right now. His posture in the car was comfortable and relaxed though, and Bella surprised herself by how comfortable she felt herself. The few interactions with Dean reminded her of the long, easy hours she had spent with Jake. A pang hit her like it always did when she thought of Jacob nowadays. She missed her best friend, though it was probably for the best. Jake wanted things from her that she could never give. 

They pulled into the parking lot of the motel, and Bella smiled again at Dean, gratefully this time. 

“Really Dean, thank you so much for all your help.” She told him. “I have some money if you..”

“Save it Bella,” Dean told her “It wasn’t that out of my way anyways. I was glad to help.” He smiled back at her, back to his old smile, but Bella could still see a hint of that softness about his eyes. Bella lingered for a moment, not wanting to leave, before making to get out. 

“Well, I should probably let you get to whatever business you’re in town for, sorry for keeping you. See you around Dean.” She said, fidgeting with her hands as she collected herself. 

“Like I said, it was no trouble Bella.” Dean told her, starting up his car again. “See you around.” And with that, he drove off, leaving Bella feeling ever so slightly hollow. 

***

Walking around town to do her shopping really had been such a good idea. Bella decided. The air the day after the rainstorm the night before made everything very comfortably cool and crisp without being too cold. She had managed to get everything on her list. She had probably paid a little more than she normally would have if she had gone to a Walmart or something, but walking around the small local shops and the pharmacy had been absolutely wonderful. As she walked down the street bordering the other side of the park that the motel was across from, Bella noticed an old run down house that made her shiver. 

The house itself was in bad condition, but that wasn’t what threw Bella off. Something about the air around the house felt darker and colder. For lack of a better word, something about the house felt evil. She could feel goosebumps rising all along her arms, and she shuddered again, deciding she would rather cut through the park to drop her things back at her room than pass that house. As she entered the park though, she heard voices to her left. Deciding to investigate, she cautiously crept toward the voices, keeping in mind that she was sent to this place by a magic map given to her by a vampire. Who knew what she might find at this place? Peeking out from the shadows of the trees, Bella noticed a familiar line of yellow tape, as well as uniformed officers littered around the area. A crime scene? Cautiously, Bella took a step back behind the tree, not wanting to be noticed.

“Poor Bethany.” One detective sighed. “First her husband, and now her daughter? Rotten luck.”

“Can we be sure she didn’t have something to do with it?” Another posed. “She knew all the witnesses.” 

“This is Genesis Carl, everyone knows everyone here.” The first one snorted. “You could easily say the same thing about everyone in town, including you.”

“This is the fifth one though Dave.” Carl protested. “We haven’t had anything more than stupid kids vandalizing the old Oakley house, and we’ve gone from that to five deaths in less than two weeks.” 

“Watch it,” Another voice cut in. “Statey coming in.” Everyone immediately groaned, but silenced. Bella could hear footsteps coming in, before a familiar voice rang out. 

“James Page, what seems to be going on here?” He said. Wait a moment, that sounded like...Bella peaked around the corner, and nearly dropped her shopping in shock. There stood Dean, looking far more clean cut than he had that morning, and offering up a badge. Had Dean given her a fake name? Or...something stirred in the back of Bella’s mind. James Page...Jimmy Page was the founder of Led Zeppelin. So more than likely Dean was impersonating State Police. Bella’s mind flashed back to John, the hunter she had met before, as well as the Hunter’s page in The Guide. Could Dean be a hunter? As Bella’s mind whirred, she absently listened to everything that was being said as the detectives filled Dean in on all the details of the murder. If Dean was a hunter, that meant that there was in fact something supernatural happening in Genesis. Which would make sense giving the circumstances around her being led here. Could all of this be why The Guide sent her here? As she heard the police and Dean wrapping up, Dean asking to take a look at the previous victims, Bella withdrew even further, heading back towards the motel. 

She dropped her stuff back at her room, and collapsed into a chair, thinking hard. Could this really be connected, or was she just reading into things? Suddenly her stomach growled, and she looked down at her stomach in surprise, realizing that it was almost dinner time and she hadn’t eaten anything yet that day. Bella remembered that there was a diner about a ten minute walk away, and pushed aside her thoughts. There was no harm in looking into things, even if it turned out to be nothing. What else was she doing with her life anyways? She thought a little bitterly. Not like she had a life to live, even back in Forks. The Cullens had made sure of that. Bella continued to stew in her bitterness as she walked down the street towards the diner, and only just managed to shake the awful feeling as she entered and was greeted by a friendly smile. Bella took a seat at the counter, and smiled at the waiter. 

“Hey there stranger.” The boy said cheerfully. He seemed to be about her age, and his smile was wide and showed very white, straight teeth that would make a dentist weep tears of joy. “I haven’t seen you around here before.” 

“Just stopping for a couple days while my car gets fixed.” Bella told him, smiling back politely. Something about him reminded her a little bit of Mike Newton, but instead of a golden retriever this boy seemed to resemble a chocolate lab. It was probably the hair color.

“Careful.” The boy warned. “One of the guys there has taken to ripping off customers.”

“Oh, I met him alright.” Bella snorted. “He tried to charge me eight hundred dollars to ‘flush my engine’.” The boy shook his head sadly 

“Old Tom doesn’t know when to stop.” He sighed, before taking out his notebook. “Well, I’m Noah. I hope the rest of your stay in Genesis will be good at least. Any idea what you want to eat?” Bella glanced down at the menu, and picked something out and told him before oh so casually bringing up the police down the street. 

“I saw some police cars collected down the street. Is something going on?” She asked. Noah’s face darkened, but before he could say anything someone a couple seats down piped up. 

“Our town’s gone downhill faster thanna boulder, that’s what’s going on.” An old woman declared, sipping some tea. “We have a serial killer in Genesis.” murmerings broke out in the diner around them, and the woman seemed very pleased with the attention she was garnering. 

“What do you mean, a serial killer?” Bella asked concernedly. She didn’t even have to fake that. She was a young woman traveling alone through a strange town, she was like a serial killer’s wet dream. 

“Pipe down, will ya Marge?” A man from across the diner. “Have some respect, Bethany is right here.” He gestured to a middle aged woman sitting across from him, and Marge had the decency to look ashamed of herself. 

“Sorry Bethany.” Marge offered, and Bethany only looked away quietly, eyes red. Bella remembered that the most recent victim was supposedly Bethany’s daughter, and winced in sympathy. She couldn’t imagine what she was going through right now. To have lost both husband and child. Marge turned back to Bella and spoke to her again, lower this time. “Mark my words though girl, Genesis is dangerous now. I wouldn’t go out at night alone.” Bella swallowed, and nodded to show she understood how serious the situation was. 

Bella sat, stewing for a while over what she had learned. Her mind drifted back to Dean. Could he really be a hunter? The Guide had made it seem like they weren’t that common, and this would be the second one she’s randomly happened across within a matter of days. Still thinking hard, Bella took her sketchpad out, tucked safely into her new bag that she had gotten to hold The Guide, so she would always have it on hand. She sketched absently for a while, still thinking hard about the current situation. Eventually she started to pay attention to what she was sketching, and blushed to realize it was Dean from this morning. One hand was on the steering wheel of his car, and the sun was behind him, lighting up his profile as that soft, genuine smile could just be seen by the curve of his cheek. Why was it that her absent minded stuff always looked amazing, while her deliberate stuff looked like crap? 

“Look who it is.” A voice cut in. Bella turned quickly, slamming her notebook shut. There was Dean, grinning at her like she had summoned him or something. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Or sketch him as the case may be. 

“Hey Dean.” Bella greeted, watching him carefully. Bella could pinpoint the exact moment Dean realized that Bella had a different name than what he had been giving other people around town. He hid it very well, but Bella had been looking for that specifically. “I’m just waiting for dinner. Would you like to join me? My treat.” Dean hesitated for a moment, before gesturing for a booth further away from everyone else. 

“You mind? He asked. 

“Not at all.” Bella responded, moving over to the booth. She slipped her nearly traitorous sketchbook into the bag with The Guide. “So, how was your day? Did your business go well?” 

“It was...frustrating.” Dean admitted, taking the seat across from her. “I still have some things I have to figure out before I can wrap everything up. 

“That’s too bad.” Bella commented. “Is there anything I could do to help? You’ve been so nice to me after all. 

“No, not really.” Dean said, looking at a menu as another waiter approached with Bella’s food, Noah nowhere to be seen. “I’ll just take a slice of apple pie.” 

“Are you sure?” Bella asked. “Really, I don’t mind if you want to get dinner, I’d like to repay you for helping me out as much as you have. 

“I told you it’s no big deal, Bella.” Dean told her. “You don’t have to buy me dinner. I’m just easy like that.” He winked at her then, and Bella fought a blush. 

“Really, I insist.” Dean rolled his eyes at her a little, but smiled. 

“Alright, alright. I’ll take a cheeseburger and fries and a slice of pie. Are you happy?” He demanded. 

“Ecstatic.” Bella deadpanned, and then smiled at him. “So, what’s this business you’re here for anyway?” They continued like that while they ate, lightly teasing each other, and Bella occasionally fishing for more information, hoping to get more confirmation on if Dean was a hunter or not. By the time they both had finished what turned into dinner and dessert, it was pitch black out, and the diner was getting close to closing time. 

“Listen, why don’t I give you a ride back to the motel?” Dean offered. “As a thank you for dinner.”

“Dean, the dinner was a thank you for giving me a ride in the first place.” Bella laughed.

“Well then, I guess you’ll have to thank me again tomorrow with breakfast.” Dean retorted with his trademark grin. “Besides, I've heard things are getting kind of dicey here at night. It’s not like it’s out of my way.” 

“Alright.” Bella conceded. “But only because I heard the same thing not too long before you came in.” Bella paid for dinner, and Dean escorted her back to his car. Bella noticed that he kept a sharp eye out in the shadows around them, and his right hand hovered in his jacket right around where you could easily conceal a firearm. 

Dean was quiet and cautious the whole drive back, and the parking lot for the motel was totally dark when they pulled in. “Woah, what happened to all the lights?” Bella wondered as she got out of the car. 

“I don’t know.” Dean responded, tense. “I think we should get you inside though.” He reached out and put a hand on the small of Bella’s back, guiding her towards the motel. Out of the cornet of Bella’s eye, she saw a deeper black move across the shadows. 

“Dean, look out!” Bella cried, shoving Dean hard as the shadow lunged. It missed Dean by mere inches, and Bella could feel a cold chill shoot through her body as she threw herself out of the way, crashing to the ground. The shadow circled on her, advancing as she backed away, crawling. A shot rang out as Dean was suddenly there, firing a gun as he hauled Bella up. 

“Move.” He commanded, dragging her away from the creature. The shadow continued on, unphased by Dean’s bullets. They both ran, the creature in hot pursuit. Bella stumbled, but with Dean’s help quickly recovered. However the delay allowed the creature to catch up to them. Bella put a hand to her chest, crying out in alarm as the shadow descended, only for her hand to brush the charm she had made the night before. There was a bright light, and the creature screeched in pain. When the light faded, the creature was gone, leaving only Bella and Dean, Bella a little scraped up from her falls, and Dean panting heavily. 

“What the hell  _ was _ that?” Bella exclaimed, fighting to regain her breath.

“No idea.” Dean puffed, turning to her. “One thing’s for sure though Bella, I think we need to have a talk.” Lights started to turn back on, and Bella could see how serious his face was. 

“You know Dean,” Bella said, finally regaining her breath. “I think you’re right.”

  
  



End file.
